Kuester, Stephen Michael (20 Farraxton Square, Camp Hill, Northampton NN4 9RQ, GB)

08/981777

05/30/2000

02/03/1998

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296/97.210

454/141, 454/158, 454/120

B62B9/14; F24F3/16; B62B9/00; B60J1/02

296/97.21, 454/69, 454/120, 454/141, 454/156, 454/158, 454/162, 454/907, 297/184.13

4804140	Solar powered ventilating system for vehicles	February, 1989	Cantrall	454/141
4870895	System for ventilating the interior of a vehicle	October, 1989	Mayer	454/141
5413528	Air conditioning system for motor vehicles	May, 1995	Pabst et al.	454/141
5779536	Truck cab ventilation system and method	July, 1998	McCorkel et al.	454/141

EP0339902	November, 1989			Baby carriage.
DE4241233A1	September, 1994
GB481645	March, 1938
GB507623	June, 1939
GB2204282	November, 1988

A collection of searches and abstracts.

Pape, Joseph D.

Davis, And Bujold

1. 1. Equipment for affording an infant protection against ambient airpollution, the equipment comprising:PA1 (a) an elongate compartment to define a substantially enclosed space foraccommodating an infant, said compartment having first and second endsseparated from one another lengthwise of the compartment and an openinglocated at said first end, said opening venting said substantiallyenclosed space freely to ambient atmosphere at said first end of thecompartment, the compartment comprising an elongate base support having aconfiguration for supporting an infant in at least a sitting posture, anda canopy for extension over the base support to define said substantiallyenclosed space in combination with the base support, said canopy beingtransparent throughout at least a substantial portion thereof;PA1 (b) means mounting the compartment with an inclined attitude for seatingthe infant with said second end of the compartment above said first endand the infant's legs projecting through said opening; andPA1 (c) motorized means carried with the base support for blowing filteredambient air into the compartment to create positive pressure in saidsubstantially enclosed space relative to ambient atmosphere, the motorizedmeans being located at said second end of the compartment to blow thefiltered air into the substantially enclosed space to flow lengthwise ofthe compartment towards said first end;PA1 wherein said canopy has a portion extending over the base support at saidfirst end to define an apron, and said apron hanging down over saidopening for covering the infant's legs.NUM 2.PAR 2. Equipment according to claim 1 wherein the base-support is of anelongate dished configuration, and said equipment includes an open-frameelement, means mounting the canopy on said element, and means suspendingsaid base-support within said open-frame element.NUM 3.PAR 3. Equipment according to claim 1 wherein the base support is mounted on awheeled chassis.NUM 4.PAR 4. Equipment according to claim 1 wherein the means for blowing filteredair into the compartment comprises a filter and a battery powered electricfan for drawing ambient air through the filter.NUM 5.PAR 5. Equipment according to claim 4 wherein the filter includes a dustfiltrant for removing particulates from the ambient air drawn through thefilter.NUM 6.PAR 6. Equipment according to claim 1 including means for mounting thecompartment to have an inclined attitude for seating the infant with saidsecond end above said first end, and wherein the means for blowingfiltered ambient-air into said substantially-enclosed space is mounted onthe base-support at said second nd of the compartment to blow the filteredair to flow downwardly of the base-support within the compartment.NUM 7.PAR 7. Equipment for affording an infant protection against ambient airpollution, comprising:PA1 (a) an elongate compartment to define a substantially enclosed space foraccommodating an infant, said compartment having first and second endsseparated from one another lengthwise of the compartment and an openinglocated at said first end, said opening venting said substantiallyenclosed space freely to ambient atmosphere at said first end of thecompartment, the compartment comprising an elongate base support having aconfiguration for supporting an infant in at least a sitting posture, anda canopy for extension over the base support to define said substantiallyenclosed space in combination with the base support, said canopy beingtransparent throughout at least a substantial part thereof; andPA1 (b) motorized means carried with the base support for blowing filteredambient air into the compartment to create positive pressure in saidsubstantially enclosed space relative to ambient atmosphere, the motorizedmeans being located at said second end of the compartment to blow thefiltered air into the substantially enclosed space to flow lengthwise ofthe compartment towards said first end;PA1 wherein said base support is of an elongate dished configuration, and saidequipment further includes an open frame element, means mounting thecanopy on said element, and means suspending said base support within saidopen frame element.NUM 8.PAR 8. Equipment according to claim 7 wherein the canopy comprises flexibletransparent sheeting, arched stays for supporting the sheeting, and meanspivoting said stays on the base support for selective extension of thecanopy over the base support.NUM 9.PAR 9. Equipment according to claim 7 wherein the canopy extends to cover thebase support fully.NUM 10.PAR 10. Equipment according to claim 7 including means mounting said open frameelement on a wheeled chassis.NUM 11.PAR 11. Equipment for affording an infant protection against ambient airpollution, the equipment comprising:PA1 (a) an elongate compartment to define a substantially enclosed space foraccommodating an infant, said compartment having first and second endsseparated from one another lengthwise of the compartment and an openinglocated at said first end, said opening venting said substantiallyenclosed space freely to ambient atmosphere at said first end of thecompartment, the compartment comprising an elongate base support having aconfiguration for supporting an infant in at least a sitting posture, anda canopy for extension over the base support to define said substantiallyclosed space in combination with the base support, said canopy beingtransparent throughout at least a substantial part thereof; andPA1 (b) motorized means carried with the base support for blowing filteredambient air into the compartment to create positive pressure in saidsubstantially enclosed space relative to ambient atmosphere, the motorizedmeans being located at said second end of the compartment to blow thefiltered air into the substantially enclosed space to flow lengthwise ofthe compartment towards said first end; andPA1 (c) the equipment further including means for mounting the compartment tohave an inclined attitude for seating the infant with said second endabove said first end, and wherein the means for blowing filtered ambientair into said substantially enclosed space is mounted on the base supportat said second end of the compartment to blow the filtered air to flowdownwardly of the base support within the compartment.NUM 12.PAR 12. Equipment according to claim 11 wherein the canopy extends over thebase support to hang down away from, and beneath, the base support as anapron for the infant's legs leaving the compartment open at said firstend.NUM 13.PAR 13. Equipment according to claim 11 wherein the base support comprises asubstantially rigid panel, and fabric sections for suspending the panel todefine walls of the base support.NUM 14.PAR 14. Equipment according to claim 13 wherein one of said fabric sectionsprovides a seat for the infant with the panel as backrest.NUM 15.PAR 15. Equipment according to claim 13 wherein an element of mesh is insetinto the canopy for venting air from the compartment.NUM 16.PAR 16. Equipment according to claim 11 including means for mounting saidcompartment on a wheeled chassis.

A baby-buggy equipped in accordance with the present invention to afford aninfant protection against ambient-air pollution, will now be described, byway of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of the baby-buggy according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration showing operation of equipment of thebaby-buggy of FIG. 1 for affording an infant protection againstambient-air pollution; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the seat-unit of the baby-buggy of FIG. 1adapted for use as a carry-cot.

Referring to FIG. 1, the baby-buggy has a tubular-metal chassis 1 that isfitted with a tubular-metal handle 2 for pushing and maneuvering the buggyon the wheels 3 of the chassis 1. An elongate seat-unit 4 for supportingthe infant in a sitting or reclining posture, is mounted on agenerally-elliptical frame 5 that is hung within the chassis 1 from twodiametrically-opposed pivot mounts 6.

To the extent the buggy has so far been described it is of a generallyconventional form, and any infant carried in it near motor vehicles would,because of his/her location low down, be closely exposed to exhaust-fumeemissions from those vehicles. The buggy of the present invention,however, acts to minimise such exposure, and in this respect incorporatesa transparent plastics-sheeting canopy 7 that in conjunction with the unit4 defines a compartment 8 to enclose the infant. A powered filter-unit 9mounted on the frame 5 blows filtered air into the compartment 8 to ensurethat the compartment 8 is kept substantially free of pollution, forprotection of the infant.

The powered filter-unit 9 includes, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a fan 10 thatis powered from a rechargeable or standard battery 11 to draw ambient-airthrough a filter 12 and blow it into the compartment 8 at the head of theunit 4. The filter 12, which includes a dust-filtrant and polyurethanefoam impregnated with carbon spheres or carbon-impregnated cloth, iseffective to remove pollutants (particulates, together with carbon-,nitrogen- and sulphur-dioxide, and hydrocarbons) to a substantial extentfrom the ambient-air so that the filtered air blown into the compartment 8defined within the canopy 7, is of significantly-enhanced breathability.

The canopy 7 is made up of three flexible gores 13 to 15 and an apronportion 16 all of clear polyvinyl chloride sheets that are sewn and sealedtogether on three flexible rods or stays 17 to 19. The stays 17 to 19 arearched with the two ends of each pivoted to the frame 5 to enable them tobe opened out from one another to stretch the sheeting of the gores 13 to15 taut and close-up the compartment 8. In this respect, the gore 13 isattached to the unit 9 and also to the frame 5, but the canopy 7 isotherwise free of close attachment below this so that the apron portion 16hangs round, but spaced from, the infant's legs and lower part of thebody; provision may be made for securing the sheeting of the apron portion16 to the chassis 1 to maintain the spacing, if necessary. The lack ofsealing and the spacing of the apron portion 16, ensures that thecompartment 8 as a whole is adequately ventilated. However, additionalventilation is provided through a mesh inset 20 in the gore 14 above theinfant's head. The inset 20 also provides a degree of shading from thesun; in inclement weather a rolled-up cover 21 attached to the gore 14 canbe unrolled and secured across the inset 20 to protect the infant.

The possibility of entry of ambient, polluted air into the compartment 8,is obviated by operating the unit 9 to maintain a positive pressure withinthe compartment 8 with respect to the ambient air-pressure. Thefiltered-air outlet 22 of the unit 9 is set back slightly over theinfant's head at the top of the compartment 8, and waste air is vented toatmosphere through the open lower-part of the canopy 7 provided by theapron portion 16, so that a good air-flow is established downwardly of theinfant's face and body. The added, balanced ventilation through themesh-inset 20 helps further to ensure that there is no build up of carbondioxide, or of heat, within the compartment 8. The filter 12 opens fromthe top of the unit 9 away from the discharge of air through the mesh 20,and the unit 9 incorporates indicators 23 and 24 for showing respectivelythe state of charge of the battery 11 and air flow into the compartment 8so as to enable operation of the equipment to be readily monitored.Provision may also be made for an audio alarm that warns when the state ofcharge of the battery 11 is low.

The seat-unit 4 has a substantially rigid back formed by a fabric-coveredpanel 25 that is suspended within the frame 5 by top and bottom sections26 and 27, and two side-wall sections 28, all of fabric. The section 27provides the seat of the unit 4, and the panel 25 is tipped slightlyforward within the frame 5 by lugs 29 (FIG. 2) that latch to the frame 5,so that the section 26 above the infant's head is angled back slightly tothe unit 9. The lower portions of the side-wall sections 28 rise up eitherside of the panel 23 to afford arm restraint and side-protection for theinfant seated on the panel 25 within the unit 4. The orientation of theunit 4 as a whole on the chassis 1 can be adjusted between that suitablefor the infant to sit up (as illustrated) or to recline backwardly forsleep.

According to an advantageous feature of the buggy, seat-unit 4 can bereadily adapted for use in the form of a carry-cot mounted substantiallyhorizontally on the chassis 1; the age range for which the buggy can beutilised is thereby extended to cover the period before the infant cansit. For such use the lugs 29 are unlatched from the frame 5 so that, asillustrated in FIG. 3, the panel 25 hangs on the fabric section 27 andside-wall sections 28, flat with the section 26 within the frame 5. Theinfant is placed on the panel 25 within the unit 4 with its head towardsthe section 27 and feet extending towards the unit 9. The unit 9 isoperated in the same manner as previously described to maintain a positiveair pressure within the compartment, but the canopy 7 is replaced by acanopy 30.

The canopy 30 has three transparent gores 31 to 33 with a mesh inset 34 forenhanced ventilation in the gore 33. However, instead of having anapron-opening around the section 27, the canopy 30 has a fabric gore 35that attaches to the frame 5. Adequate ventilation is provided even whenthe inset 34 is covered by its rolled-up cover 36, through holes 37 in thegore 35. The holes 37 ensure that there is good flow of air over theinfant from the unit 9.

The seat-unit 4 when configured as in FIG. 1 for sitting or reclining, oras in FIG. 3 as a carry-cot, may be removed from the chassis 1, for useindependently thereof. There is no disturbance to the unit 9 in this orany other use, so operational effectiveness and integrity in keeping theinfant's environment substantially free from the ambient-air pollutants,is maintained.

Although the invention has been described above in terms of protectionagainst traffic-produced pollution, it may also be used to protect infantsagainst pollen and other allergens in the atmosphere.